Final Concentration Research Articles

Photocatalytic degradation and removal of type II pyrethroid pesticide (lambda-cyhalothrin) residue from wastewater using nanoceria for agricultural runoff application

Synthetic chemical pesticides' nature, mode of action, and persistence have brought about debates regarding whether the end justifies the means. Lambda-cyhalothrin is an important insecticide for farmers and households, with great accessibility and excellent action against pests and disease-carrying insects. Like other pyrethroid pesticides, Lambda-cyhalothrin targets the nervous system of insects or pests. However, its fate in the environment, especially in water and living systems, has made it crucial to explore methods of treating or degrading its residues in the environment. The present study aimed to develop a suitable method for the photocatalytic degradation and removal of Lambda-cyhalothrin (LCY) from wastewater and agricultural runoff. The nanoceria were used under natural solar irradiation without applying any scavenger chemical or buffer. This was synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method using cerium nitrate hexahydrate as a precursor. The synthesized nanoceria were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and particle size analysis. The average size of the particle was 27 nm. The photocatalytic degradation was conducted in batches with various pesticide concentrations exposed to different amounts of nanoceria. The initial and final concentrations of the LCY at each level were determined using Shimadzu UV spectroscopy. At optimum conditions, nanoceria was found to degrade and remove more than 63% of the initial pesticide concentration. This method can be suitable for degrading and removing pesticide residue from agricultural runoff (at source) and industrial effluents from synthetic pesticide industries.

Simultaneous Administration of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Antioxidant Supplementation with Filipendula ulmaria Extract in the Treatment of Thermal Skin Injuries Alters Nociceptive Signalling and Wound Healing.

Background and Objectives: Thermal skin injuries are a prevalent cause of skin damage, potentially leading to severe morbidity and significant mortality. In this study, we intended to estimate the effects of HBO (hyperbaric oxygen treatment) and antioxidant supplementation with Filipendula ulmaria extract, individually and simultaneously, in the treatment of thermal skin injuries. Materials and Methods: As a thermal skin injury experimental model, we used two-month-old male Wistar albino rats. Thermal injuries were made with a solid aluminium bar at a constant temperature of 75 °C for 15 s. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment was performed in a specially constructed hyperbaric chamber for rats (HYB-C 300) for seven consecutive days (100% O2 at 2.5 ATA for 60 min). Antioxidant supplementation was performed with oral administration of Filipendula ulmaria extract dissolved in tap water to reach a final concentration of 100 mg/kg b.w. for seven consecutive days. Results: Simultaneous administration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and antioxidant supplementation with Filipendula ulmaria extract significantly ameliorated the macroscopic and histopathological characteristics of the wound area and healing. Also, this therapeutic approach decreased the local expression of genes for proinflammatory mediators and increased the expression of the μ-opioid receptor and the MT1 and MT2 receptors in the wound area and spinal cord, with a consequent increase in reaction times in behavioural testing. Conclusions: In conclusion, the presented results of our study allow evidence for the advantages of the simultaneous employment of HBO and antioxidant supplementation in the treatment of thermal skin injuries, with special reference to the attenuation of painful sensations accompanied by this type of trauma.

Production and characterization of a chimeric protein targeting synuclein epitopes for immunotherapy against synucleinopathies.

The aggregation and spread of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) is associated with several pathogenic pathways that lead to neurodegeneration and, ultimately, to synucleinopathies development. Hence, the establishment of a safe and effective disease-modifying therapy that limits or prevents the spread of toxic αSyn aggregation could lead to positive clinical outcomes. A rational vaccine design can be focused on the selection of specific epitopes able to induce the immune response desired, for example, antibodies able to mediate the clearance of αSyn aggregates without the induction of inflammatory responses. To develop a rapid system for the evaluation of a vaccine candidate against synucleinopathies, rLTB-Syn (an antigen based on three B cell epitopes from αSyn and the B subunit of the heat-labile Escherichia coli enterotoxin [LTB] as adjuvant/carrier) was produced using recombinant E. coli (Rosetta DE3) as the expression host. The bacterial version of rLTB-Syn was produced as soluble protein at yields up to 1.72 mg/g biomass. A method for the purification of rLTB-Syn (~18 kDa) was developed based on ion exchange chromatography, reaching purity >93% with a final concentration of 82.6 μg/mL. Furthermore, the purified soluble rLTB-Syn retained GM1 binding activity, suggesting proper folding and pentameric structure. The results from this study establish a fast and effective method to obtain rLTB-Syn, making it useful in the design of novel vaccine formulations targeting synucleinopathies.

Detailed numerical evaluation of diffusion convection equation in layered reservoirs during tracer injection

Characterization of heterogeneous reservoirs such as multilayered or fractured systems is an important issue in different disciplines such as hydrology, petroleum and geothermal systems. One of the popular methods that can be used for this purpose is tracer tests. Better understanding of the mechanisms of mass transfer (convection–diffusion process) is essential for having a proper test interpretation. In this study, the solutions of different scenarios of tracer flow in a pair of high and low-permeable layered reservoirs including convection and diffusion mechanisms are discussed. Although analytical solutions generally provided exact solutions, they involve several assumptions and might be hard to use for complex problems. As a result, numerical methods are selected for the investigation of different scenarios and addressing cases that are beyond access of analytical methods. In this study, several scenarios of considering diffusion and convection in low and high permeable zones and effective parameters on tracer concentration are investigated. According to the results of this study, the higher the porosity ratio of low to high permeable layer, the more time is needed to get the final concentration value. Also, by increasing the value of the dispersivity coefficient, the time needed to increase the concentration decreases. In other words, the sharp increase in concentration for lower times is seen in higher dispersivity values. The concentration profile variation is affected by Peclet number. The difference among concentration profiles in different cases is considerable, especially in low Peclet numbers where the diffusion mechanism is dominant. This behavior is more common in low permeable mediums such as multilayered tight or shale reservoirs.

Long-Term Cryopreservation of Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Harvest Using Low Concentration (4.35%) Dimethyl Sulfoxide with Methyl Cellulose and Uncontrolled Rate Freezing at -80 °C: An Effective Option in Resource-Limited Settings

Long-term cryopreservation of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) is highly useful in the setting of tandem/multiple transplantations or treatment of relapse in the autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) setting. Even in allogeneic HSCT, donor lymphocyte infusions may be stored for months to years if excess stem cells are collected from donors. Cryopreservation is a delicate, complex, and costly procedure, and higher concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a commonly used cryoprotectant, can be toxic to cells and cause adverse effects in the recipient during infusions. In this study, we examined the effect of long-term cryopreservation using 4.35% DMSO (as final concentration) with methyl cellulose and uncontrolled rate freezing in a mechanical freezer (-80 °C) on the viability and colony-forming ability of CD34+ human PBSCs. For patients undergoing autologous HSCT, PBSCs were cryopreserved using DMSO (final concentration of 4.35%) with methyl cellulose. The post-thaw viability of PBSCs was determined using Trypan blue exclusion and flow cytometry-based 7-amino-actinomycin-D (FC-7AAD) methods. Concentrations of CD34+ stem cells and immune cell subsets in post-thaw PBSC harvest samples were assessed using multicolor flow cytometry, and the clonogenic potential of post-thaw stem cells was studied using a colony-forming unit (CFU) assay. CD34+ stem cell levels were correlated with the prestorage CD34 levels using the Pearson correlation test. The viability results in the Trypan blue dye exclusion method and the flow cytometry-based method were compared using Bland-Altman plots. We studied 26 PBSC harvest samples with a median cryopreservation duration of 6.6 years (range, 3.8 to 11.5 years). The median viability of post-thaw PBSCs was >80% using both methods, with a weak agreement between them (r=.03; P=.5). The median CD34+ stem cell count in the post-thaw samples was 9.13×106/kg (range, .44 to 26.27×106/kg). The CFU assay yielded a good proliferation and differentiation potential in post-thaw PBSCs, with a weak correlation between granulocyte macrophage CFU and CD34+ stem cell levels (r=.4; P=.05). Two samples that had been cryopreserved for >8 years showed low viability. Cryopreservation of PBSCs using 4.35% DMSO with methyl cellulose and uncontrolled freezing in a mechanical freezer at -80 °C allows the maintenance of long-term viability of PBSC for up to 8 years.

Production of perillic acid from orange essential oil by Yarrowia lipolytica using a top-aerated bioreactor.

R-(+)-Perillic acid, a promising anticancer and immunomodulatory agent, is the major product from the biotransformation of R-(+)-limonene-rich orange essential oil by the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Due to the abundance and low cost of orange essential oil, which is a byproduct of the citrus industry, we attempted to improve the biotransformation process by optimizing yeast cell mass production. Then, the whole process was transposed and adapted to a 2-L instrumented bioreactor. Cell mass production was optimized in shaker flasks using a statistical experimental design. The optimized medium (g·L-1: 22.9 glucose, 7.7 peptone, 4.1 yeast extract and 1.0 malt extract) resulted in a 13.0g·L-1 final cell concentration and 0.18g cell·L-1·h-1 productivity. A further increase to 18.0g·L-1 was achieved in a 2-L bioreactor upon fed-batch culture. High-purity limonene bioconversion was performed in the same bioreactor utilizing top aeration to diminish terpene volatilization; as a result, 839.6mg·L-1 perillic acid accumulated after 48h. Under the same conditions, industrial orange essential oil afforded 806.4mg·L-1 perillic acid. The yeast growthmedium optimization resulted in a twofold increase in biomass accumulation and a reduction in growth medium nitrogen sources, which lowered the catalytic biomass production cost. Compared with conventional bottom aeration, the bioreactor top aeration strategy resulted in higher bioconversion rates. The conditions developed for high-purity limonene bioconversion were successfully applied to low-cost orange essential oil, showing the robustness ofY. lipolyticayeast.

Use of fine capillaries for cryopreservation of Caenorhabditis elegans by vitrification

Caenorhabditis elegans is an exceptional model organism. More than twenty thousand different strains have been developed, increasing knowledge on countless topics. However, the traditional method to cryopreserve this nematode, based on slow freezing, usually reaches recovery rates of around 35% for the L1 and L2 larval stages. Here, we propose two alternative methods to cryopreserve this nematode based on vitrification that are applicable in common laboratories and allow the selective individual cryopreservation of this organism. These new methods require ultra-high warming rates, which are achieved by employing very thin capillaries as the nematode container, and a very low final concentration of cryoprotectants, which, as compared to slow freezing, reduce toxicity damage. The recovery rate was 98.5% for larvae (L1 – L4) and 84.3% for adults. Given these results, our procedures offer an alternative to cryopreserve this nematode (larvae and adults) with higher recovery rates, avoiding expensive requirements. Indeed, it only needed a container with liquid nitrogen and a warming bath for water at 37 °C. The high performance of this approach has been revealed by preserving the long-term memory and, probably, the connectome of this nematode.

Developing of a Counter-Current Copper Leaching Process Using Response Surface Methodology

ABSTRACT Due to the scarcity of water in many parts of the world, wastewater generated by hydrometallurgical processes has been recognized as a valuable resource for recovery or reuse. A method for reusing hydrometallurgical raffinate in the leaching of low-grade oxide copper ore in a counter-current leaching process was evaluated. In the first stage of the investigation, the influential factors on copper leaching, such as the amount of acid consumed (200–400 g/kg of ore), the initial iron concentration of the raffinate (5–25 g/L), the liquid-to-solid ratio (2–10 mL/g), and the duration of the leaching process (15–75 min), were examined using response surface methodology coupled with central composite design. Two responses, copper recovery and final copper concentration, were selected to determine the optimal conditions for the leaching process. Based on the statistical model, it was found that using 325 g/kg of ore of consumed acid, an initial iron concentration of 10 g/L, a liquid-to-solid ratio of 4 mL/g, and a leaching time of 60 min would result in higher values for both responses. Confirmation runs were conducted to validate the selected conditions and the suitability of the statistical model. Additionally, compositional and morphological characterization of samples before and after the leaching process was conducted using field diffusion scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, which showed the dissolution of compounds such as tenorite and cuprite. In the second stage, a two-unit counter-current leaching system was adopted, as hydrometallurgical processes are usually carried out in multiple stages on an industrial scale. This leaching system was designed to maximize copper dissolution by considering the information obtained from the response surface methodology. The use of this leaching system increased the overall leaching efficiency by up to 80%. By characterizing the solid samples, it was found that the copper extraction percentage in a counter-current leaching system could be increased by simultaneously precipitating iron-bearing compounds.

Exploring the potential of multiple lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for biobutanol production

To improve the cost-effectiveness of biobutanol production, lignocellulosic biomass is used as a cheap and sustainable feedstock. It provides fermentable sugars for microbial fermentation but lacks nitrogen resources and other nutrients. This study investigated the effects of combining multiple types of lignocellulosic biomass with nitrogen-rich wheat bran on ABE fermentation. Depending on the composition and fermentation effects, the optimal mixing ratio of wheat bran added with sugarcane bagasse, corncob and pine was 1:1, 1:4 and 2:3, respectively. The addition of corn steep powder as a nutritional source significantly enhanced sugar consumption and solvent concentration. Integration of pervaporation with ABE fermentation facilitated timely removal of butanol and alleviated product inhibition, resulting in a final total solvents concentration of 14.51 g/L, comparable to fermentation with TYA synthetic medium. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using combined lignocellulosic biomass to reduce feedstock costs and enhance the application of biobutanol production.

Abstract 27 Secretome of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Potential Effects on Melanoma

Abstract Introduction Melanoma, a tumor resulting from the malignant transformation of melanocytes, is characterized by its aggressive nature and propensity to metastasize. Current treatment options for advanced melanoma are limited and mostly ineffective, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have increased considerable attention due to their anti-cancer and immunomodulatory properties. In particular, human umbilical cord MSCs (hUCMSCs) have shown promise in various therapeutic applications. Objectives The objective of this research was to assess and understand the potential therapeutic effects of conditioned media (CM) derived from hUCMSCs on melanoma cells in vitro. Methods hUCMSC, isolated from the umbilical cord of seven healthy neonates by enzymatic digestion followed by direct plastic adherence method, were cultivated and their CM stored for subsequent assays. Then, malignant melanoma B16F10 cells were treated using a final concentration of 100% of hUCMSC-CM for 24 hours. Afterward, their viability, adhesion, and motility were accessed by MTT, crystal violet, and scratch wound healing assays, respectively. Results The MTT assay showed the inhibition of B16F10 cell viability in all treated groups compared to the control group (32%; p<0,05 vs control, n=7). Moreover, crystal violet staining revealed that hUCMSC-CM enhanced the adhesion capacity of melanoma cells by 16% (p<0,05 vs control, n=7). In terms of motility, the hUCMSC-CM reduced migration by 24% (p<0,05 vs control, n=7) after 24 hours. Discussion Our results suggest that hUCMSCs may exhibit dual effects on melanoma cells. On one hand, certain factors produced by hUCMSCs have shown potential in reducing the viability and motility of B16F10 melanoma cells, indicating a potential therapeutic benefit. On the other hand, it has also been observed that CM of hUCMSCs can increase the adhesion capacity of melanoma cells. While hUCMSC-released factors may exhibit beneficial effects on melanoma cells, further research and clinical trials are needed to establish their safety, efficacy, and optimal therapeutic protocols for malignant melanoma.

Nitrate-mediated kinetic leaching for rare earth elements recovery from phosphogypsum

Phosphogypsum (PG) is a byproduct of the decomposition of phosphate rock with sulfuric acid during phosphoric acid synthesis. Various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scan electron microscope with electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) are utilized to characterize PG and rare earth concentrate. Heir, both nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), are used as leaching agents for rare earth elements (REEs) from Egyptian PG. The ideal working conditions for leaching about 85% of REEs from PG are 350 mg/kg REEs in PG, 149 μm grain size, 0.5M NH4NO3, 2M HNO3, 1/4 S/L, 30 minutes leaching time, 300 rpm, and 80°C. The data on the kinetic REEs leaching are matched to the diffusion control model. The kinetics of the applicable leaching activity and the reaction mechanism between the mixture of nitric acid and ammonium nitrate with REEs have been explored in detail. After concentration by vaporization to one liter, a final concentration of REEs reached ≈ 300 mg/L with a leachability of 85%. The REEs were precipitated using 20% oxalic acid at pH 2.5 as oxalate, and then the precipitate was calcined at 900°C in an electric oven, given a mixture of REEs oxides and CaO.

Selection of lactic acid bacteria for biopreservation of salmon products applying processing-dependent growth kinetic parameters and antimicrobial mechanisms

Biopreservation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a promising technology to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in fresh and mildly processed food. The main aim of this study was to select LAB, originally isolated from ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood, for biopreservation of fresh salmon and processed salmon products. Ten LAB strains (five Carnobacterium and five Leuconostoc) were selected based on previously demonstrated bioprotective properties to investigate their antimicrobial mechanisms and temperature-dependent growth kinetics in a sterile salmon juice model system. Furthermore, five strains (three Carnobacterium and two Leuconostoc) were selected to test process-dependent growth kinetic parameters relevant to the secondary processing of salmon. Two strains (Carnobacterium maltaromaticum 35 and C. divergens 468) showed bacteriocin-like activity against Listeria innocua, while inhibitory effect of cell-free supernatants (CFS) was not observed against Escherichia coli. All selected strains were able to grow in sterile salmon juice at tested temperatures (4, 8, 12 and 16 °C), with specific growth rates (μ) ranging from 0.01 to 0.04/h at 4 °C and reaching a maximum population density of 8.4–9 log CFU/ml. All five strains tested for process-dependent growth kinetic parameters were able to grow in the range of 0.5–5% NaCl and 0.13–0.26% purified condensed smoke (VTABB and JJT01), with inter- and intraspecies variation in growth kinetics. According to the temperature-dependent growth kinetics and antimicrobial assay results, two strains, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 68 (Le.m.68) and C. divergens 468 (C d.468), were selected for in situ test to validate their ability to grow in vacuum-packed fresh salmon at 4 °C. Both strains were able to grow at maximum growth rates of 0.29 ± 0.04/d for Le. m.68 and 0.39 ± 0.06/d for C.d.468, and their final concentrations were 7.91 ± 0.31 and 8.02 ± 0.25 log CFU/g, respectively. This study shows that LAB, originally isolated from RTE seafood, have promising potential as bioprotective strains in fresh and processed salmon products.

First Report of Cladosporium tenuissimum causing Postharvest rot of Elaeagnus conferta Fruit in Kunming, China.

Elaeagnus conferta Roxb. is a perennial evergreen climbing shrub and is mainly native to India, Vietnam, Malaysia, and South China (Gupta & Singh, 2021). Various parts of this plant are used to treat multiple diseases(Gupta et al., 2021). Between during the months of March and April of 2021, in Kunming city of grower fields, Yunnan Province (N 25°02'; E 102°42'), southwest China. Some postharvest E. conferta fruits showed brown spots of decay with a greyish mycelium, which symptom only appears on fruit, and did not find it on this plant. The incidence of this disease in postharvest E. conferta fruits ranges from 45 % to 65 % in natural conditions. This pathogen is harmful and causes many plant diseases. Such as rice, oriental persimmon, pear, panicles of mango, and so on (Cho & Shin, 2004; Guillén-Sánchez et al., 2007; Lee et al., 2009). The infected fruit samples surface was disinfected with 75 % ethanol and 0.3 % NaClO for 30 s and 2 min respectively, then aseptic water washing three times. The fruit tissue is rich in carbohydrates and water content, which aid the growth of fungal species. Putting these diseased tissues on a potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, cultured at 25 ± 1 ℃ for 7 days. The colonies grow on the PDA medium, then separated and puried again. Three pure cultures (YNGH01, YNGH03, YNGH05) were obtained, which were stored in 15 % glycerol at -80 ℃ refrigerator in the State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan Agricultural University. After 7 days of cultivation, the colonies were round and the diameter attained up to 38 mm, the surface of the colony showed tiled, fluffy, with a velvet-like texture, greyish-green to smoke-gray, slightly raised in the middle, the edges were radial hollow and wrinkle (Fig. 1A). Conidiophores were solitary, erect, unbranched or rarely branched, slightly flexuous at the apex, septate, dark brown, 254 to 680 µm long, 3.6 to 4.5 µm wide, top of the conidiophores or the rostral were slightly swollen (Fig. 1B). Conidia were light gray or grey, solitary or bispora, irregular in shape and size (Fig. 1C), nearly circular (3.21 × 3.31 µm), oval to lemon-shaped (6.59 × 3.21 µm) or elliptical (8.35 × 4.65 µm). The CTAB method extracts 3 isolates (YNGH01, YNGH03, YNGH05) genomic DNA (Aboul-Maaty & Oraby, 2019). To confirm identity with molecular identification, performed by three different genomic DNA regions, fragments of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF-1α), and actin (ACT) genomic regions. These genomic DNA were amplified with primers ITS1/4, EF1-728F/986R, and ACT-512F/783R, respectively (Carbone & Kohn, 1999). The sequences of these isolates were uploaded to GenBank (YNGH01: ON753810, ON868696, ON912090 YNGH03: ON753812, ON868698, ON912092, and YNGH05: ON753814, ON868700, ON912094). NCBI's BLASTn search of those ITS sequences showed 99.81% similar to C. tenuissimum (MG873077.1), and sequences TEF-1α and ACT were 100% identical to several isolates of C. tenuissimum (OM256526.1 and MT154171.1). Combined the ITS region, TEF-1α, and actin (ACT) genomic regions of isolates YNGH01, YNGH03 and YNGH05 to construct a phylogenetic tree with MEGA11. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses further confirmed the results (Fig. 2)(Santos et al., 2020). Healthy and mature E. conferta fruits were used for pathogenicity test. Pathogens were washed with sterilized water at a final concentration of 2× 106 spores/mL (Jo et al., 2018). The test was divided into A and B groups (A: The surface of fruits was pierced with a sterilized needle that carried pathogenic fungus of final concentration at 2×106 spores/mL B: Sprayed at the concentration of 2×106 spores/mL on fruits). The control fruits were treated with sterilized water and stored at 25 ± 1 ℃ with a relative humidity of 80 %, average group with 10 fruits in this test, which was repeated three times. After 7 days, the fruits of group A were initially sesame seed size of the disease spots, nearly round, irregular, with grayish-brown spots, and slightly depressed. Later, the lesion gradually turns dark brown (Fig. 1D). And group B began with small patches of brown fungal growth on the pericarp, with the development of the disease, the necrotic spots enlarged and developed irregular and coalesced, the color of spots became gray or black gradually (Fig. 1E). The symptoms were similar to previously observed and the pathogen was reisolated and identified as C. tenuissimum. Control fruits were healthy (Fig. 1F). The pathogens test fulfilled Koch's postulates. According to morphology (Bensch et al., 2012), rDNA-ITS, TEF-1α, and ACT sequence analysis, phylogenetic analysis, and pathogenicity test, the pathogen was identified as C. tenuissimum. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. tenuissimum occurring on E. conferta fruits in China.

Kinetics of biodesulfurization of South African diesel using Pseudomonas aeruginosa

As a result of several environmental and health challenges associated with the emission of SOx during the direct combustion of diesel, stringent regulations have been issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the South African government to all refineries in South Africa. Therefore, the development of an effective, affordable, and less energy-intensive technique is therefore urgently required. In this recent study, real South African diesel (obtained after HDS, 120 ppm) was degraded by resting cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a batch experiment. About 5 mL of diesel was measured into a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask with 5 mL of resting cell in glycerol/NaCl (1:1) and 20 mL of Basal Salt Media (BSM). The mixture was incubated for 8 h, at 37 °C, and agitated at 130 rpm, with an initial hydrodesulfurized diesel concentration of 120 mg/L and cell mass of 1.2 gDCW/L. High-Liquid Chromatography and Gas/Mass (GC/MS) chromatography were used to determine the initial and final concentrations of the synthetic and real diesel samples. Findings showed about 70.54 % removal of DBT in 120 ppm desulfurized diesel. Meanwhile, Pseudomonas aeruginosa selectively converted sulfur atoms in DBT compound to 2-HBP. Michaelis-Menten for modeling the growth of the bacteria fitted well into the experimental data. Similarly, First-order kinetic fitted and described well the behavior of the bacteria for degradation of DBT in synthetic and real diesel samples. The findings of this investigation indicated that biodesulfurization would be a more effective method to complement the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) technique as opposed to the primary methods for desulfurizing organo-sulfur compounds in diesel oil. This will assist the refineries to meet up with the stringent regulation to minimize the emission of sulfur compounds, which cause environmental pollution and health problems in South Africa and all over the world.

Effects of Skin Inflammation Related Cytokine on Mentha arvensis Ethanol Extract (MT)

In the present study, we examined the effects of the ethanol extract of <i>Mentha arvensis</i> on skin inflammation and anti-allergic effect in various cell lines; human fibroblast cells (hFCs), human mast cells (HMC-1) and human monocytic cells (THP-1) cells. Treatment with <i>Mentha arvensis</i> extract at a concentration of 250 ㎍/㎖ for 24h showed no significant decrease in the survival rate of the hFCs, HMC-1, THP-1. The final concentration was set at 200 ㎍/㎖ or less. <i>Mentha arvensis</i> extract significantly decreased the mRNA expression of IL-8, and IL-6 at 200 ㎍/㎖ in HMC-1 cells. <i>Mentha arvensis</i> extract treatment significantly inhibited the protein expression of IL-6 and, IL-8 induced by mite at 200 ㎍/㎖ in THP-1 cells. We examined the alternation of histamine release in HMC-1 cells for investigating anti-allergic effect of <i>Mentha arvensis</i>. Histamine secretion was significantly decreased at 200 ㎍/㎖, 100 ㎍/㎖ after the treatment with <i>Mentha arvensis</i>. In addition, <i>Mentha arvensis</i> extract treatment at a concentration of 50 ㎍/㎖, 100 ㎍/㎖, and 200 ㎍/㎖ lowered the β-hexosaminidase to 10.3%, 21.7%, and 50.8%, respectively. IC50 of <i>Mentha arvensis</i> extract in RBL-2H3 cells was 196.85 ㎍/㎖. The activity of NF-κB promoter cells significantly decreased at 200 ㎍/㎖, 100 ㎍/㎖ after the dose-dependent treatment of <i>Mentha arvensis</i>. Therefore, our results indicate that <i>Mentha arvensis</i> has anti-inflammatory and it may be useful for treating skin barrier damage, which is problematic in allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

Nutrient-induced fluorescence transients in diatom-bacteria biofilms suggested the possible application of marine biofilms in monitoring nutrient disturbance

The phenomenon of nutrient-induced fluorescence transients (NIFTs) in algae has shown potential in indicating nutrient disturbance in water. However, it has only been reported in green algae with a narrow detection range. Marine biofilms, a type of microorganism aggregate with significant application potential, have been less investigated in relation to their NIFTs phenomenon. In the present study, we conducted a bioassay lasting 36 h to test the utilization of different nutrients by diatom-bacteria marine biofilms through detecting the effective quantum yield [Y(II)]. We found that the biofilms selectively utilized nitrate, ammonium, inorganic and organic phosphate, while not utilizing glycine and urea. Among the nutrients that could be used by the biofilms, only ammonium induced a significant NIFTs phenomenon. We observed a linear relationship between fluorescence changes during the ammonium-induced NIFTs and ammonium concentrations in both nitrogen-limited and phosphorus-limited biofilm cultures. Notably, a final concentration of 500 μM ammonium triggered significant increases in fluorescence compared to lower concentrations. Our study suggests that nutrient-limited marine biofilms have potential to monitor ammonium disturbance in water, with the significant increases in biofilm fluorescence serving as an alarm for ammonium input.

Idebenone protects against ethanol toxicity in HT-22 cells through strengthening neuroimmune response

Idebenone, an analogue of coenzyme Q10, may function as a neuroprotective agent with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The current report was designed to examine the beneficial effects of idebenone on ethanol-related neurotoxicity in hippocampal neuronal HT-22 cells in vitro and annotate the neuroprotective mechanism of idebenone. 75 mM ethanol was applied to the cells for 24h to develop ethanol toxicity. Then, different concentrations of idebenone (final concentration in the well to be 1, 2.5, and 5 μM) were applied to HT-22 cells for 24 h to explore the protective impact against ethanol-induced hippocampal damage. Cell viability was evaluated with MTT test. MDA, SOD, and GSH concentrations were examined to interpret oxidative damage. Moreover, the effects of idebenone on IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-23 neuroimmune-related genes expression levels were assigned by the RT-PCR analysis. In our study, 75 mM ethanol decreased neuronal cell viability by approximately 61%. All concentrations of idebenone were not toxic to neurons. In addition, idebenone increased cell viability by reducing the damage caused by alcohol. Idebenone reversed the reduction in antioxidant capacity caused by ethanol through decreasing MDA and increasing SOD and GSH levels. In addition, idebenone attenuated ethanol-induced impairment in neuroimmune and neuroinflammatory responses by reducing IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-23 mRNA expression levels. Treatment with idebenone increased antioxidant capacity and a significant improvement was achieved in neuroimmune and neuroinflammatory parameters. Possible mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects cover the down-regulation of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-23 receptors, and antioxidant restoration of idebenone.

LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2 Cathode Active Material Recovery from Ethaline: Leaching, Co-Precipitation and Annealing with in-Situ XRD Monitoring

The growth of the Li-ion batteries (LIB) market and the associated economies of scale have made possible the optimization of the production processes and significantly contributed to the reduction of the manufacturing costs. As a consequence, and facing the growing demand, developed countries will inevitably be confronted in the near future with huge quantities of waste LIBs (around 700k tons by 2035, against 15k tons currently)[1]. The development of efficient and environmentally friendly recycling processes is therefore a major challenge for the energy transition. This work processes a highly efficient way for the LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2 cathode active material recycling by leaching in a choline chloride/ethylene glycol (ethaline) deep eutectic solvent, with a liquid/solid mass ratio of 50, that was doped with a small quantity of HCl. The addition of the latter at 4 molar equivalents (i.e. the final concentration of the acid in the DES is about 0.82 mol. L-1) allows to leach all the metals quickly at 80 °C with a yield >99%. Co-precipitation was induced by 0.2 M Li2CO3 addition with 99% efficiency. The recovered mixed carbonate was mixed with Li2CO3 and was then transformed into the oxide form by thermal annealing. The degree of transformation was monitored using in situ X-ray diffraction, recording the XRD spectra every 45 minutes. The obtained results indicate that the lithiation process occurs during the pre-annealing phase at 500 °C. Maintaining then the temperature at 900 °C for 10 hours results in a highly crystalline material free of any impurity. Finally, batteries made from the recycled powder exhibit a good discharge capacity of about 130 mAh.g-1 at a 0.2 C rate after 100 cycles as well as a coulombic efficiency of more than 99%. Reference: [1] Hearing of Ms Christel Bories (Eramet CEO) by the French Senate http://videos.senat.fr/video.1230390_5d1200992ac17.audition-de-mme-christel-bories

Dilution Reduces Sample Matrix Effects for Rapid, Direct, and Miniaturised Phenotypic Antibiotic Susceptibility Tests for Bovine Mastitis.

The time-consuming nature of current methods for detecting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to guide mastitis treatment and for surveillance, drives innovation towards faster, easier, and more portable technology. Rapid on-farm testing could guide antibiotic selection, reducing misuse that contributes to resistance. We identify challenges that arise when developing miniaturized antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST) for rapid on-farm use directly in milk. We experimentally studied three factors: sample matrix (specifically milk or spoiled milk); the commensal bacteria found in fresh bovine milk; and result time on the performance of miniaturised AST. Microfluidic "dip-and-test" devices made from microcapillary film (MCF) were able to monitor Gram-negative bacterial growth colourimetrically even in the presence of milk and yoghurt (used to simulate spoiled milk samples), as long as this sample matrix was diluted 1:5 or more in growth medium. Growth detection kinetics using resazurin was not changed by milk at final concentrations of 20% or lower, but a significant delay was seen with yoghurt above 10%. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for ciprofloxacin and gentamicin was increased in the presence of higher concentrations of milk and yoghurt. When diluted to 1% all observed MIC were within range, indicating dilution may be sufficient to avoid milk matrix interfering with microfluidic AST. We found a median commensal cell count of 6 × 105 CFU/mL across 40 healthy milk samples and tested if these bacteria could alter microfluidic AST. We found that false susceptibility may be observed at early endpoint times if testing some pathogen and commensal mixtures. However, such errors are only expected to occur when a susceptible commensal organism is present at higher cell density relative to the resistant pathogen, and this can be avoided by reading at later endpoints, leading to a trade-off between accuracy and time-to-result. We conclude that with further optimisation, and additional studies of Gram-positive organisms, it should be possible to obtain rapid results for microfluidic AST, but a trade-off is needed between time-to-result, sample dilution, and accuracy.

Detection of African Swine Fever Virus in Feed and Feed Mill Environment Following Extended Storage

One way to mitigate risk of feed-based pathogens for swine diets is to quarantine feed ingredients before inclusion in complete diets. Data have been generated evaluating the stability of swine viruses in ingredients, but the stability of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in feed or in a feed manufacturing environment has not been well characterized. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the stability of ASFV DNA in swine feed and on mill surfaces over time. A pilot-scale feed mill was used to manufacture six sequential batches of feed consisting of a batch of ASFV-free feed, followed by a batch inoculated with ASFV (final concentration = 5.6 × 104 TCID50/g), and then four subsequent ASFV-free batches. After each batch, 10 feed samples were aseptically collected in a double “X” pattern. During feed manufacturing, 24 steel coupons were placed on the floor of the manufacturing area and allowed to collect dust during feed manufacturing. Once feed manufacturing was completed, feed samples and steel coupons were stored at room temperature. Three of each were randomly selected from storage on 3, 7, 14, 28, 60, 90, and 180 days after feed manufacturing and analyzed for ASFV DNA. For feed samples, there was evidence of a batch × day interaction ( P = 0.023 ) for the quantification of genomic copies/g of feed, indicating that the amount of ASFV DNA present was impacted by both the batch of feed and days held at room temperature. There were no differences of genomic copies/g in early batches, but quantity of detectable ASFV decreased with increasing storage time. In Batches 4–6, the greatest quantity of ASFV DNA was detected on the day of feed manufacturing. The lowest quantity was detected on Day 7 for Batch 4, Day 60 for Batch 5, and at 28 and 180 days for Batch 6. There was no evidence of ASFV degradation on environmental discs across holding times ( P = 0.433 ). In conclusion, the quarantining of feed may help reduce but not eliminate the presence of ASFV DNA in feed over time. Importantly, ASFV DNA was detectable on feed manufacturing surfaces for at least 180 days with no overt evidence of reduction, highlighting the importance of bioexclusion of ASFV within feed manufacturing facilities and the need for thorough/effective decontamination and other mitigation processes in affected areas.